Impact Report
2023
Metropolitan
YMCA of the
Oranges
Impact Highlights
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Letter From Leadership
Dear Friend,
Welcome to the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges 2023 Community Impact Report! As we reflect on the past year, we are filled with pride and gratitude for the remarkable accomplishments of our YMCA association. The year was filled with tremendous growth for our YMCAs as we seized on opportunities to increase our impact and meet the evolving needs of our community. We’re proud to have completed 87 percent of our action steps in just the first year of our new, three-year Strategic Plan. Our commitment to fostering a healthy, inclusive, and supportive environment has never been stronger.
In 2023, we witnessed significant membership growth, a testament to our robust operations and the dedication of our exceptional team. The launch of our "Expect the Best" initiative further bolstered our efforts, leading to an average Net Promoter Score of 70, indicating high satisfaction and loyalty levels among our members. We were also proud to have attained Praesidium Accreditation for our child abuse prevention efforts, and another Four Star rating from Charity Navigator for our strong financial health, stewardship, and transparency. Both of these acknowledgements underscored our commitment to excellence. The dedication and passion of our staff throughout the year was also evidenced by our recognition as one of the top places to work in the state by NJ.com Top Workplaces.
Our Annual Support Campaign was a resounding success, enabling us to extend our reach and impact even further, by awarding $6 million in direct financial assistance, community benefits and publicly assisted support.
In response to the growing demand for mental health support, we made substantial strides in addressing this critical need. With the help of over $360,000 in grant funding, we expanded our team to include three mental health professionals to serve each district, and increased our support services for both staff and members. This investment ensured that we can offer a safe and nurturing environment where everyone can thrive.
Our youth programs saw remarkable expansion, allowing us to serve more families. The introduction of Universal Pre-K at the West Essex YMCA Peanut Shell Early Childhood Learning Center and the coordination of the Beyond the Bell program at the South Mountain YMCA provided invaluable educational opportunities for our youngest members. Camp Michikamau experienced an all-time high in camper weeks, and Lake in the Woods celebrated another successful summer season. The long-awaited opening of a School Age Child Care site at St. Joseph’s Church in Maplewood enabled us to serve more families in need of reliable child care.
As we look ahead, we are excited to further expand our services and meet the growing demand for pickleball with new offerings for pickleball players, including the first dedicated indoor pickleball center in Sussex County. We are moving ahead with ambitious plans for a state-of-the-art West Essex YMCA facility in Livingston and a brand new YMCA in the City of Orange. As we approach 140 years of strengthening the community in 2025, we continue to serve with dedication and passion.
Board of Directors
The Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges Board of Directors provides governance, policy direction, and fund-raising support for the entire Association. The visionary leadership of these volunteers helps us provide extraordinary youth development, and healthy living experiences and so much more throughout our service area.
Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges - Board of Directors
Daren Phil, Chairman of the Board
Peter H. Tanella, Vice Chairman
Bill Ruhl, Treasurer
Marlene Waldock, Secretary
Ronald Schwarz, Immediate Past Chairman
Richard K. Gorab, President/CEO
Ajay Bansal • Dan Borgna • Jose Briones • Reyna Burger • Valerie W. Crawford* • Mike D’Alessandro • Kristi D’Angeli • William Esposito • Lawrence Fechner, Esq. • Stacey Staaterman Feeney • Ted Foung • Jose A. Galvan • Paul A. Gomperz* • Staci Grant • Christel Hyden • Matthew B. Jarmel • Branden Jones • Mark Lewis • Stephen M. Mellet, Sr. • Nilesh Mhatre • Andrew Pfaff • Daren J. Phil • Toni Pinkett • William R. Ruhl • Peter Schofel • Ronald Schwarz • Alex Serrano, CPA • Jean Stennet • Peter H. Tanella, Esq. • Himanshu (Hams) Tripathi • Stuart Vorcheimer • Marlene Waldock • Christopher Wolverton • *Emeritus
Financial Responsibility
| REVENUE | AMOUNT |
| Contributions / Grants/Government Contracts | $6,915,125 |
| Membership | $5,706,312 |
| Program | $33,302,029 |
| Other | $2,874,932 |
| TOTAL REVENUE | $48,798,398 |
| EXPENSES | AMOUNT |
| Program Services | $34,923,396 |
| Supporting Services | $6,270,385 |
| TOTAL EXPENSES | $41,193,781 |
| CHANGE IN NET ASSETS | $7,604,617 |
2023 audited financial statements examined by Bederson LLP.
Investing in Community
- Raised a record $1.5 million towards our Annual Support Campaign.
- 1,746 Volunteers provided 22,776 hours to support the Y.
- 8,712 people learned invaluable water safety and swimming skills and the importance of sportsmanship through Y programs.
- 4,701 kids tried new activities, made lasting friendships, and gained independence at summer camp.
- 3,140 kids were inspired to learn, play and grow in one of our 41 afterschool and full day programs.
- 1,383 children developed critical physical, social, and emotional skills that help shape their view of the world in one of our 4 Early Childhood Learning Centers.
- 45,044 individuals connected with the Y in-person or virtually, growing in spirit, mind, and body.
- Awarded 4,216 recipients a total of $2,469,887 in financial assistance toward Y programs.
Strengthening Community
Building Healthy Communities
- Successfully transitioned Beyond the Bell After School Enrichment Program in Maplewood and South Orange elementary schools to the South Mountain YMCA’s leadership. More than 1,600 children benefit from this unique program. Read more.
- Taught 26 middle school students the importance of healthy habits as part of the Empower U-Franklin Fit Club, a 6-week program started by the Sussex County YMCA in conjunction with the Sussex County Division of Health and Franklin Borough School District. Read more.
- Sent a total of 12 competitive swimmers to the 100th anniversary of the YMCA National Short Course. The Sussex County Y Swordfish sent 7, the most swimmers in the team’s 16-year history.
- Collected over 1,200 pledges signed by members of the community to protect children from sexual abuse during the 5 Days of Action campaign.
- Empowered young girls with the relaunch of Her Time to Play at South Mountain YMCA, a girls basketball program in partnership with the WNBA and Jr. NBA and Seton Hall University.
Diversity and Inclusion: Supporting our Changing Communities
- Launched the new B.E.A.R. summer camp program to help students with dyslexia boost their reading skills. Operated by Fairview Lake YMCA Camps, the program was held at Blair Academy. Read more.
- Collaborated with Public Partnerships and Easter Seals to provide Division of Developmental Disabilities-funded memberships, promoting physical activity and social engagement for adults with developmental and physical disabilities. Read more.
- Expanded our community partnerships to support youth mental health with new arts programs at the East Orange YMCA. Read more.
- Hosted our first free Mental Health Provider Roundtable for staff and members during Mental Health Awareness Month.
Expanding Access to All Adults, Children & Families
- Taught 194 swimmers essential water safety skills that help reduce their risk of accidental drowning at our free Safety Around Water program. Read more.
- Provided 16 kids a summer camp experience through the McKinney-Vento Homeless Assistance Act, a collaboration of the U.S. and New Jersey Departments of Education to support children without permanent housing.
- Removed barriers to affordability by expanding the number of its summer camps that also accept state-funded child care subsidies.
- Raised $42,000 at the 21st Annual Sussex County YMCA Golf Outing for financial assistance and free programs at the Sussex County YMCA.
- Raised over $27,000 for local children and families at the South Mountain YMCA Duck Race. Read more.
- Raised over $20,000 to support approximately 200 summer camp families during our inaugural Camp for a Cause campaign. Read more.
- Raised an all-time high of $60,000 on Giving Tuesday.
- Raised over $32,000 during the 58th Annual Sports Award Banquet, hosted by the New Milford YMCA Program Center. Read more.
Voices of Impact
Thank you for letting us share a bit about the Metropolitan YMCA of the Oranges. Hopefully you learned something new about how our YMCA strives to provide for the ever changing needs of the communities we serve. We could not serve without so many wonderful members, donors, partners and community supporters.
Our Mission: Strengthen community through youth development, healthy living, social responsibility
Impact Report 2023
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